Diggs, Taliyah
February 12, 2009

Period 2, English
Taliyah Wants A Dog
Dear Mom,
(1) I would really like a puppy. I know that you don’t like animals, but I will really take care of it. The positive side is that I won’t have to bug you because I will have someone to play with at all times. I think that Taty will take the dog away from me for a very long time. Even daddy likes dogs. They are so adorable.
(2) Dogs are great because they guard your home and you can spend time with them than waisting TV electricity. They are very fun to play with because they act like real people. Dogs also help do chores for you. You can walk the dog for their fun and we can get exercise for our health. They can keep you warm when it’s very cold outside. They can sense earthquakes a minute before we can so, the dog can bark to tell us when one is coming. If we get trapped in an earthquake, the dog can find and rescue us.
(3) Dogs are bad because they can get out of control and start biting and ripping things. I know that the big problem is that they cost so much money. I also know they do their business all over the place. We can at least try to do some thing about that. I also know that we have to train, feed, and walk everyday, we can still work this out.
(4) Now you know why I want a dog. I really hope you get a dog. I’ve always wanted one. I had always been watching movies with dogs in them and I always wanted a puppy. Please I will do anything for a puppy. I will even try to keep my room clean for a month. I won’t even watch TV or play video games for a week if I have to. Well, I’ll try to. Please! I’m begging you.

Diggs, Taliyah
February 26, 2009 Period 2, English
Eleven
(1) The title of this story is called “Eleven”. The author is Sandra Cisneros. This story is about a girl named Rachel that turned eleven and had a very bad day. She was comparing her age to wooden dolls that open up and another doll comes out. The teacher named Mrs. Price asked everyone in the class who’s this ugly, clown sweater was and a girl named Felice Garcia told the teacher that it might have been Rachel’s. Rachel got really mad because it wasn’t her sweater. Rachel thought it was a big deal, but she remembered that it was her birthday that day and her mom was baking he a cake and when her dad would come home, everyone would sing the happy birthday song to her.
(2) Rachel was mad. Felice Garcia told the teacher that the ugly sweater was Rachel’s when it wasn’t. Rachel doesn’t like Felice so, Felice doesn’t like Rachel. It is very possible that Felice would say that.
(3) Mrs. Price doesn’t care. She didn’t apologize for being wrong when the sweater was Phyllis Lopez’s and Mrs. Price told her to put the sweater on. This is credible because teachers always think that they are right when everybody makes mistakes all the time.

(4) Rachel was embarrassed. She had to wear a sweater that wasn’t hers. It is credible because it could have been anyone’s sweater. It’s just that no one knew who’s it was.
(5) I really liked this story.I can relate to her on how she feels about her age. For me I say "The older you get, the closer you are to dying". i know how Rachel feels. She feels like being eleven is like being ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one. Sometimes when it's my birthday, I still feel like a little girl.





Monday, October 6, 2008
Prewrite
1. What are you good at?
I LOVE to cook tortillas with cheese.
2. How do you feel when you're doing the thing you're good at?
I feel like I can help my family.
3. How would you feel if people wouldn't let you do the thing you're good at?
I would feel like I DON'T do anything around the apartment.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 CLASSWORK
Chapter 1
1. What problems or conflicts are presented in chapter one? Tao needing to find a rabbit is an obvious one; identify at least two more. (1.) He couldn't make a drawing of the rabbit. He couldn't find the the rabbit because of the coyotes and if he doesn't he could never come back.

2. Predict the resolution of each conflict. Example:
conflict: Tayo needs to find a rabbit.
predicted resolution: He will find the one he lost.
He drew a picture of a bear.
Look for another rabbit and hunt it fast.


CLASSWORK: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Answer the question below
Chapter 2
What two important events happen in this chapter.
Tao found the wolf and it had something in his foot,so Tao took it out of his foot. (2.) The hyenas were heard, but Tao just stayed to sleep on the floor and the hyenas might eat Tao.


CLASSWORK Friday, October 10, 2008
Answer the questions below
Chapter 3
1. What do Tao and Ram learn to do together?
Tao and Ram learned to hunt together,but now they can't hunt together because hunters are going to hunt with Tao and they will kill Ram.

2. What decision does Tao tell Volt?
Tao said that Volt doesn't listen to him when he talks. Then Volt looked helplessly over his shoulder at Garth,who had come up behind him."Go then," Volt said. "Go on your way. But hear my words, you will eat only when you bring in food.

3. Look at Tao's decisions and actions from Volt's perspective. Pretend you are Volt. Write a first person paragraph explaining how you feel.
I would feel so angry because they wouldn't listen to me. I would scream into their ear uProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 il they do what I tell them to.
I would get so angry that I would throw a tantrum. I would slam the door. I would hurt them until they cry because it would hurt really badly. No one wants to get hurt.

CLASSWORK Monday, October 13, 2008
Read Chapter 4 in class. Answer the following questions
Chapter 4
In a good paragraph, describe Tao's mother. Start with an interest grabber. Then write your topic sentence. Give three details or examples to support your thesis.Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 se a quotation from the chapter.

Tao had a wonderful mom. Tao's mom really cared for him. She fought to save him. She hid under a cave hoping that no one would find her. Some people found her. They were trying to fight her for Tao,but she would not let him go. Kala said, " Your mother was a young lady." (or something like that) Tao's mom really loved him. She loved him so much that she knew that she would never put him out for an animal to eat. She made a great friend. When the mom died,her friend took Tao in as her own child. Tao had never heard his mom's name until the old lady told him. He learned many things from the old lady.

CLASSWORK Friday, October 17, 2008
Answer the follwoing questions
Chapter 5
1. Which two animals does Tao try to draw?
Tao tried to draw a horse and Ram the wolf dog.
2. Which is easier for him and why?
Ram was easier because he was just standing there so Tao just started painting and the horse had to be from memory.

CLASSWORK Monday, October 20, 2008
Answer the following questions
Chapter 6
1. Graybeard realizes that Tao has broken two taboos of his clan. What are they?
He drew on walls of the cave and hunted with a wolf dog.
2. Which taboo doesn't he know about yet?
He hunted on forbidden land.
3. Graybeard describes Volt differently than we have. What aspects of Volt's character is Graybeard acknowledging?
Graybeard says that Volt is a good man,but he dreams of spirits and demons too many times.

CLASSWORK Thursday, October 23, 2008
Write your reaction to the last paragraph in the chapter.1. Do you agree or disagree with Graybeard?2. Is what he says true for those times, but not now? Or is the reverse true: is it true now, but wasn't true then?
1. I agree with Graybeard because if someone breaks the law they will get in trouble and go to JAIL. 2. It is true for the old times because people are free to draw. People love to draw,so why should they make them not draw. It is just unfair to the people who are very good artists.

Chapter 8
An important theme in this novel is that people should follow their dreams and do what they believe is right, even if they don't follow their society's expected ways.
The author examines this theme in a stone age setting. Imagine a similar situation today, where a person's desires go against society's expectations
What situation did you imagine?
There was a girl on Ellen and she wanted to play football,but the coach wouldn't let her play b/cause she was a girl. She kicked really far.

In the situation you imagined, should the person follow his or her dreams or should they follow society's rules? Give your opinion.
She should follow her dream because if she wants to play then she should.

Chapter 9
Why do you think Graybeard changed his mind?
I think Graybeard changed his mind because he felt that Tao really had a heart for drawing and no person can take that away.
What does this tell you about his character?
It tells me that Graybeard is really caring and thoughtful. He is also very nice to others.

CLASSWORK Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Chapter 10
1. What are the "mountains-that-walk"?
The "mountains-that-walk" are the mammoths.
2. What almost happened to Tao?
Tao almost got squished by a mammoth.

CLASSWORK Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Chapter 11
Do you think Graybeard is a good teacher? Why?
I think Graybeard is a good teacher because he tells Tao what to do and some teachers just let them to do whatever they want.
Would you like to have been taught a skill by him? Why?
No, because I do want to get screamed at by an old, wrinkly man.

CLASSWORK Thursday, October 30, 2008
Chapter 12
1. Name some of the ingredients used to make paint. Which surprised you most?
They were using a red piece of earth,fine powder,some of Tao's fish oil,dark red paint,a lump of yellow clay,limestone powder,and charcoal dust.
2. Why is Tao afraid at the end of the chapter?
Tao is afraid because Graybeard had been away for a long time before, and Tao doesn't want him to get hurt.
CLASSWORK Monday, November 3, 2008
Chapter 13
1. Even if Ram had succeeded in hunting the deer, do you think it was a good idea of Tao's to "show off" his dog's ability to hunt? Explain.
No,because Tao didn't do anything at all. Why would he do that.
2. Predict what will happen next. If you've read ahead, invent an alternate scene.
I think that Volt will find Ram and kill him and then Volt will find Tao and show him Ram. Then Tao will get so mad,he will punch Volt and run away.
CLASSWORK Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Chapter 14
1. Why does Tao cross the river?
Tao crossed the river bacause he got worried about Ram because in chapter 13 Tao told Ram to cross he river so that he didn't die.
2. What decision does Graybeard reach?
The decision was that Tao would be a cave painter even though he wasn't one of the Chosen Ones.
CLASSWORK Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Chapter 15
What problem does Tao have by the end of the chapter?
Tao's problem was,he couldn't remember what arm Graybesrd touched. He went the wrong way and found out that it was the wrong way.
He went back and couldn't remember what way was the path he had started on. Then he went the wrong way again and the light went out because
the water leak. He just tryed to touch his way through.
CLASSWORK Thursday, November 6, 2008
Chapter 16
Look at the website of the Laxcaux Caves: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ Find a picture that resembles the one Tao is painting. Copy it as your answer to this question.

2g201-1.jpg

I was an amazing chapter. Except I knew that the Volt was Tao's father because Anya said that he was his father.
I never knew that Volt was his father. This was the best chapter in the book! It was so exciting.

CLASSWORK Friday, November 7, 2008
Chapter 18
Why does Tao feel he needs to go to the Mountain People?
He wanted to prove himself again.

Extra Credit
Write a narrative describing what happens next. Make sure your plot has a conflict, a climax, and a resolution. You can add new characters if you want.